Amidst a flurry of exits, the closely-knit Saturday Night Live (SNL) family is at last breaking their collective silence. Bowen Yang, Marcello Hernández, Chloe Fineman, alongside other beloved regulars and alumni, have been responding with heartfelt and humorous tributes as fellow cast members bid their poignant farewells. Following the star-studded celebration of the program's 50th anniversary, Heidi Gardner has recently joined the lengthening list of departures, which already includes Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and Michael Longfellow.
Longfellow, who announced his exit after three seasons via Instagram, received a playful comment from Yang, 34, who quipped, "Jesus WAS Chinese. I love you, Michael," a cheeky nod to one of Longfellow’s iconic Weekend Update jokes. Hernández, 28, echoed the sentiments, sharing, "Love, bro. Thank you for always letting me crash on the couch, my roommate," to which Longfellow replied, "The PS5? She's all yours now, brother."
Walker, who is also stepping away from the NBC comedy show after three seasons, garnered a heartfelt message from Fineman, 37, who wrote under his Instagram post, "I’ll miss pretending to be your pregnant wife all the time!!!!!" Gardner added her own tender note, simply stating, "I love you."
Despite executive producer Lorne Michaels and long-standing cast member Kenan Thompson hinting that cast changes were an inevitable part of the show's dynamic, this wave of departures signifies the most significant shake-up since 2022, when eight members left ahead of Season 48. With the Season 51 premiere looming just around the corner, set for October 4, fans are eagerly awaiting any news on whether more exits are on the horizon.
